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Join Date

Jan 2008

Location

Charleston, SC

Posts

3,755

Originally Posted by Oviedo

Timmons was a LB in college not a DE. He came out as a classiic weakside OLB in a 4-3 defense and was favorably compared to Derrick Brooks of the Bucs. However, we moved him inside where his speed was marginalized and then he gained weight to be strong at the point of attack against the run. However, if our DL was playing the way they should the OL should never get to him. It is a waste to take an athlete that talented out of the "run and hit" mode to the MLB run stuffer mode.

The d-line isn't Timmons' only problem. The reality is that you need to be able to fight off a block if you play LB. He's not very good at it.

He takes HORRIBLE angles. He plays on roller skates. Someone made that analogy earlier and I think that describes his play quite well.

He doesn't have very good natural ILB instincts. I've said it time and time again... 3-4 ILB is a very difficult position to be good at. There is A LOT going on. The ability to fight off blocks, read/react, good vision and quickly diagnose plays, shifting through the trash on the inside, taking good angles.. etc. It's more Colbert and Tomlin's fault than it is Timmons. He was drafted as a 3-4 OLB and he was a bust at that. The only way the Steelers could save face and not have him be a complete bust was to move him to ILB.

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The d-line isn't Timmons' only problem. The reality is that you need to be able to fight off a block if you play LB. He's not very good at it.

He takes HORRIBLE angles. He plays on roller skates. Someone made that analogy earlier and I think that describes his play quite well.

He doesn't have very good natural ILB instincts. I've said it time and time again... 3-4 ILB is a very difficult position to be good at. There is A LOT going on. The ability to fight off blocks, read/react, good vision and quickly diagnose plays, shifting through the trash on the inside, taking good angles.. etc. It's more Colbert and Tomlin's fault than it is Timmons. He was drafted as a 3-4 OLB and he was a bust at that. The only way the Steelers could save face and not have him be a complete bust was to move him to ILB.

I agree and it depresses me. Plays on roller skates is accurate. He was a bust of a pick, he was supposed to be our next terror at OLB, which this D MUST have or it fails. We lucked out on finding Harrison, and hit on the Woodely pick or else we'd not have had much success in recent years. Can you imagine how much weaker this D would be if we were relying on LTs to be our OLB? Goose would be cooked. He is no good there. And he really has added weight to become a thumper; I noticed how much thicker he appears these days. He is not natural at ILB. Instincts stink. Flies around but runs by plays far too often. Depressing.

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I guess I'm not ready to concede that "the window has closed" with 13 games left to play this season...

Me neither. Ben is having his best NFL season, and we should be getting some serious talent back after the bye. I think the defense might improve just a little bit by adding a couple DMVP's. And although many folks aren't fans of Mendenhall, he does have multiple thousand yard rushing season and 30 NFL TD's, which is much, much better than what we have been getting from our running game so far this season. I'm also looking forward to the return of my boy DeCastro in the second half of the season, which should help our run game even more (perhaps by then Willie Colon will be more comfortable at LG too).

Forced patriotism is an oxymoron.

A government leader proclaiming that citizens have to stand proudly for the National Anthem or else they shouldn't be in the country sounds more like a mandated decree from a totalitarian dictator like Kim Jong Un rather than the leader of the Free World.

Our ability to peacefully protest is a fundamental American right, and any attempt by our government to squash this freedom is what is truly dishonoring the liberty that our Star Spangled Banner symbolizes.

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I think we have a championship caliber team if we can get Troy, Mendy, and Harrison back...coupled with playing sound fundamental football.

1) Get healthy
2) Protect the football
3) Minimize penalties

our days of havin a dominate D might be over but our Passing game is the real deal. If the D can be solid, Mendy can breathe a little life into the running game...I know Bens arm can take us there.

I think you are wildly optimistic. We may be able to get into the play offs but would likely never see a championship game. Our offense is on the upswing but our defense is on the downslide proabably at a rate we can't overcome without changes to scheme and personnel.

I really hope I am wrong about the defense but what I have been trying to point out for two seasons now is coming to the fore in spades.